Improvement in devices for warming and ventilating railroad-cars



Unrrnn Snares FRANKLIN OHALFANT, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, AND JEFFERSON GHALFANT, OFKINMUNDY, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN DEVICES FOR WARMING AND VENTILATING RAILROAD-CARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 159,541, dated February 9, 1875; application filed August 18, 1874.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, FRANKLIN OHALFANT, of the city of Lancaster, in the State of Pennsylvania, and JEFFERSON GHALFA'NT, of Kinmundy, in the State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Device for Ventilating and Warming Railroad-Oars, of which the following is a specification:

The object of this invention is to collect and distribute pure air at any number of points within the cars forminga train on the railroad, the air being drawn in and forced out by means of a fan or'blower on the forward part of the locomotive, driven by a smallengine, so as to keep the fan in motion when the train is stopped, and to convey the blast through pipes, connected from car to car by flexible couplings, with branch pipes so distributed and provided with jets and stop -cocks, as to regulate the discharge. The pipes are also combined in such a manner that a portion of them are carried through a furnace or heating apparatus in order to heat the air during winter, and thereby both warm and ventilate the cars.

arrangement of the fan, pipes, &c.,- and with the letters of reference marked thereon, together with a brief description, will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, in which- Figure 1 represents an engine, tender, and one passenger railroad-car, with the fan, discharge-valve, and main and branch pipes shown in place. Fig. 2 illustrates the distribution of the pipes on top, within, and under the cars. Fig. 3 shows the construction of the discharge-valve D.

We claim no invention in a fan or blower, A, in itself, as any of approved power may be used, by placing it as far forward on the engine as possible, and forming ears or extended pipes 13 B, so as to project on each side beyond the head-light b, and inclined downward,

so flared as to draw the air, where it is free from dust, cinders, smoke, &c., in advance of the train or engine. The fan-shaft has a pulley, and is driven by a small engine stationed on the locomotive-engine itself, such as are now used, and in which we claim no invention,

The accompanying drawings illustrate thesave that we utilize it for driving the fan. The air collected by the fan or blower is expelled throngh the pipe 6 and main pipes H H, carried along on supports G G to the top of the passenger cars or coaches, a separate pipe, H,

on each, with branch pipes K from each side, entering the cars. The main pipes are coupled so as to be air-tight, and yield to the undulating motions of the cars, by means of any of the approved couplings now in use for conveying smoke. We show a bellows-like coupling, 'F, similar to those used on musical instruments, as admirably adapted for the purpose. The branch pipes K unite in pairs, and descend vertically through the roof of the car, and enter a horizontal pipe, M, on each side of the cars, raised even with the lower edge of the car-windows on the inside, with jet-openings and stop-cocks m, adapted to the respective seats, to enable the passengers to turn on or off, or regulate the air-current. The branch pipes I I lead down in the corners of the car, and communicate with the upper horizontal pipes M, and also with a lower horizontal pipe, N, on the floor of the cars, along each side within the cars. These corner-pipes I are continued to another horizontal pipe, 0, beneath the cars, which lead through a furnace, P, used in the winter season for heating the air before being admitted to the cars. There is also a furnace, Q, shown in the place of the ordinary stove in cars, into which the vertical pipes I are conveyed for heating the air to be discharged from either of the horizontal pipes, or the lower foot-pipes only.

By means of these stop cocks or valves, and the distribution of the pipes, a continuous current of pure cool air during summer is secured within the cars, as the blower is kept in motion during the stopping of the train. In case the train is stopped amid dust, smoke, or impurities in front of the engine, there is a valvechamber, D,-with a spring-Valve, V, held in bearings with a cord, W, attached, and descending through the roof to the hand of the engineer, so that a pull on the cord opens the top of the pipe and closes the inner channel, allowing the foul air or the like to be expelled and prevented from being carried into the cars among the passengers.

T Tl FFICE. I

It is believed that the fan and the arrangement of the pipes and heating-furnaces, substantially constructed as herein set forth, will meet all the requirements of ventilation and warming cars, capable of being adjusted to regulate the cold air alone, or to blend it with warm air, or Warm air alone, so as to adapt it for every state of the weather during summer or winter.

We are aware that a continuous series of pipes, coupled with flexible couplings from the locomotive over a train of cars, have been used for conveying the smoke, gas, cinders, &c., to the rear of such a train; but we disclaim the use of our pipes for such a purpose, nor, indeed, would such continuous pipes answer the object and purpose we have in view.

What we claim as our invention is-- 1. The combination of the said conductingpipe 0 and appliances VB S W, With a fan or blower, A, said fan being provided with side pipes or ears B, the Whole constructed substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with a fan or blower, A, placed on top of the boiler, and the connecting-pipes O H, the intermediate valve-chamber D, with its appliances V, R, S, and W, constructed and operated substantially as and for the purpose mentioned.

3. In combination with a main conductingpipe, H, along the top of apassenger-car, the diverging branch pipes K, united to andopening into a vertical pipe, L, connected with a horizontal pipe, M, the latter being independent in its action, and the hot-air pipes, the whole arranged. substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

FRANKLIN GHALFANT. JEFFERSON GHALFANT.

Witnesses to FRANKLIN 'CHALFANT:

W. B. WILEY, JACOB STAUFFER.

Witnesses to JEFFERSON CHALFANT:

TILMAN RAsER, BAYARD CHALFANT. 

